Wider 4G interference test planned for London

UK mobile spectrum organisation at800 is set to stage a new test, this time in south east London, to determine to what extent 4G mobile services at 800 MHz may disrupt digital terrestrial service Freeview. 

Roughly 170,000 household and business addresses in parts of Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets are being contacted directly to alert them to the test, which is due to begin next week.

This follows an initial smaller-scale test in the West Midlands, which logged 100 calls complaining about affected service from 22,000 test-area homes surrounding the 4G at 800 MHz masts – fewer than anticipated.

The at800 organisation is responsible for making sure people continue to receive free-to-air TV when 4G mobile services operating at 800 MHz launch. It is funded by Everything Everywhere, O2, Three – the UK mobile operators with 800 MHz spectrum allocations to provide 4G services.